


Those who disfavor fire

by MaskoftheRay



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Darth Vader, BAMF Luke Skywalker, Blood and Injury, Darth Vader Has Issues, Darth Vader is Not Okay, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Injured Luke Skywalker, LOTS of Lava, Lava - Freeform, Mental Health Issues, Parent Darth Vader, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Anakin Skywalker, Rescue, Sad Darth Vader, Suicidal Thoughts, Sunshine Luke Skywalker, The Force
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:54:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27627763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaskoftheRay/pseuds/MaskoftheRay
Summary: After an accident leaves Luke and his father stranded— as well as rendering the younger Skywalker unconscious— Vader is bound and determined to save his son. There’s only onetinyproblem… the planet they’re currently  on is volcanic. Meaning that they’re surrounded by lava. And lots of it.
Relationships: Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker & Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Past Padme Amidala/Anakin Skywalker - Relationship, Sheev Palpatine | Darth Sidious & Darth Vader
Comments: 22
Kudos: 170





	Those who disfavor fire

**Author's Note:**

> “Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works.”

This planet was not Mustafar, was not even in the same system as that cursed place, for which he was intensely grateful. But Vader was also immensely angry because of it, for if they _had_ been on Mustafar, he would have had as many troops as he needed at his beck-and-call, including the 501st, as well as transportation and access to state-of-the-art medical facilities— no matter.

“LUKE!” Vader roared, striding forward anxiously, carelessly. He stopped less than an inch from the lava. Irrationally— the Sith Lord _knew_ that his metal prosthetics were incapable of sensing the lava’s heat— he felt a fiery twinge, a burn, an echo of agony, anyway. His respirator-regulated breathing stuttered. Vader backed up slightly from the lava river’s edge and forced himself to focus on his goal: Luke’s prone form, which lay across the agonizing molten stretch of rock that sluggishly meandered between them. _I must reach the boy_ , Vader thought determinedly.

There was just one problem with this: and that was that the lava river was too wide, _impossibly_ wide, for even someone as adept in the force as Vader was to cross it. More concerningly, said river seemed to be rising. Sluggishly, yes, but it was only a matter of time. _If Luke does not wake up soon, if the boy rolls over, he is liable to—_ “LUKE!” Vader did not panic He did not feel fear. Such things were beneath a Sith Lord.

But Anakin Skywalker?

He felt _both_ , and in that moment they were filling up his mind, drowning his focus, scratching and tearing at his ability to think rationally, to plan— to come up with some way to SAVE HIS _SON_ — to shreds. Luke was about to succumb to nearly the same fate as his father had more than twenty years ago. Only this time, the Emperor would not save the burned Skywalker. Because if the lava got to him, there would be nothing left of Luke to save. _Focus!_ Vader snarled at himself. _Luke will **not** burn_. _He will not, or you are surely the most pathetic Sith Lord in the history of the galaxy, and thus deserve to be utterly crushed by your master_.

But even after harnessing his ~~panic fear concern~~ rage, the river was still too wide to ford via force-jump. If he had been more agile, had had _flesh_ legs, then maybe… _Damn you, Kenobi_. Vader seethed, pacing back and forth on the sweltering bank. _There must be a way!_ “It is impossible,” he growled aloud, frustrated. The ground trembled suddenly, and he had to leap back hastily to avoid the flecks of lava which flew free from the rest. They fell, hissing, to the black rock beneath his boots.

Snarling, Vader forced himself to breathe. Ironically, in that moment, he recalled Master Yoda’s words: _“Do. Or do not. There is no try.”_ He would rescue his son. Luke would not be killed by the lava. Because what use was the Dark Side if he could not protect his child? He had already failed— No, Vader would not, _could not_ , fail now. The Sith Lord took one more breath, beat down his lingering unease, and strode forward once more. So he could not— yet— determine a way across, fine. But he would.

Or perhaps he could move _Luke_ out of harm’s way, at least momentarily.

Cautiously, Vader gathered the force to himself and reached out towards his son, and— yes. Luke’s unconscious, slack form lifted slightly! If he concentrated, Vader could move the boy further away from the encroaching lava, buy himself enough time to— His connection to the force snapped suddenly, as Luke reached the boundaries of his range. His son bounced bonelessly as he hit the rocky ground, and rolled— _NO!_ Vader’s heart seized in horror as the boy rolled toward the lava… and stopped about a foot from it.

He breathed. In that moment, the Sith Lord looked down, noting absently that his hands were shaking. He clenched them into fists, and returned his attention to Luke. “I must cross!” Vader muttered. _But how?_ His helmet turned quickly to-and-fro, searching the desolate, rocky terrain for a solution. _Aha_. A short distance away, there was a rocky outcrop which rose several feet above the molten river. Around it lay several large— even enormous— boulders. _That I can work with_ , Vader thought with grim satisfaction.

Several minutes later, and after numerous checks on Luke’s precarious position, he had a plan.

Carefully using the force to lift the largest boulder, Vader cautiously picked his way to the top of the outcropping. He stumbled several times, and almost lost his hold on the bolder once. Cursing harshly, the Sith Lord unconsciously hoisted his cargo higher in the air as his anger towards the small, destabilizing rocks, his own mechanical awkwardness, grew.

 _Good_. he suddenly heard an echo of Sidious’ voice, _use your fear, your hate. They will make you strong in the force_. So he did. _I dislike that Luke was foolish enough to come here. I hate this planet, **despise** lava— _yes that was enough. Vader reared back, and lumbered into a charge. Unbeknownst to him, Luke stirred on the rocky ground across the lava river.

 _Not yet_ , Vader told himself harshly as he plummeted through the air toward an agonizing, fiery death. _Hold_. The boulder flew behind him, several feet above the Sith Lord’s head, and by itself could cause great destruction if he were not careful. He fell, and fell, and fell— _NOW_. Vader swiftly, and smoothly, plunged the boulder into the lava. Immediately, it began sinking, but he had enough time to leap off it and reach the other side using the force. The Sith Lord crouched, preparing to jump—

“FATHER!”

Vader’s head jerked up. _Luke_. His son was sitting up, dirty, bruised, pale— bleeding from a gash on his forehead— and looking absolutely terrified. For _him_. Suddenly, the suit began beeping, numerous alarms activated at once. He looked down, abruptly recalling his less than ideal position, and saw that the lava was just beginning to meet the bottom of his feet. Vader leapt.

 _Idiot!_ he thought. _You will not make it. You allowed your ~~concern~~ weakness to be a distraction for too long_. As Vader again descended towards the lava— ignoring his suit’s diagnostic relay that his right prosthetic foot had partially melted— he thought, _so it will be the fire after all. I wonder if Kenobi, wherever his spirit may be, is laughing_. But no. His former master, as amused by this scenario as he might be, would not want for Luke to see his father—

As Vader’s feet touched the lava, there was a tug at his center, and feeling startled, he looked up. _Luke_. His son was standing shakily, hands held aloft as if he were a small child and Vader the high up toy he wanted. _That will change once I train him_ , the Sith Lord thought. _If his efforts here do not fail, consigning me to death by liquification_. Vader shook away the thought and studied Luke. His son’s brow was furrowed and sweat— as well as blood— dripped down his face. He could practically hear Luke’s teeth grinding.

While the boy had arrested his fall— an impressive feat in and of itself— he had not managed to fully rescue Vader. In fact, Luke was liable to injure himself if he continued trying. _Unfortunate_ , the Sith Lord thought dispassionately. “Luke,” he called, “you must let me go. You will only harm yourself by continuing this attempt—”

“What? NO!” Luke exclaimed, eyes widening in horror. In his distraction, Vader slipped several inches in the air and was only just able to pull his prosthetic legs up in time to avoid further damage. Fortunately, his vocoder turned his alarmed shout into something resembling a grunt. Also fortunate, the boy regained his focus, and with a guttural yell, hauled him up several feet higher in the air.

The Sith Lord relaxed. Just. _This cannot continue_ , he thought as Luke trembled again. Yet his son did not drop him. _He is only prolonging the inevitable_ , a dark part of Vader hissed. He dismissed it, already intimately familiar with the concept of unnatural prolongment. After all, his own life had been extended past its intended expiration date. So perhaps it would not be such a shame, to at last succumb. _If only Luke were not here_. “Son, you must—”

“No, Father! I won’t let you fall.” The boy’s eyes were wild. Determined.

Despite everything else, Vader felt himself tense at those words. He sighed, briefly overcome by a pang of affection. “Young one, what you are attempting is impossible. You cannot—”

“Shut _up_! I can, and I will!” Luke snarled. Then, to Vader’s great surprise, his son muttered the very words _he_ had been thinking before this ordeal: “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” And to the Sith Lord’s astonishment— admittedly a great deal of relief as well— he began to float forward slowly across the lava towards solid ground.

As soon as he could, Vader reached out with the force and grabbed ahold of the land. Not a moment too soon either, as Luke shuddered, and fell to his knees, trembling arms barely catching him in time. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he panted. The Sith Lord fell the last few feet and barely bit back a groan as the impact jarred his weakened body. When he tried to walk, momentarily forgetting his ruined prosthetics, Vader stumbled. His son was still bent over on the ground, breathing raggedly. “Luke!”

The Sith Lord leapt, again seized by agony as the fresh impact jostled him. Thankfully, he was close to the boy’s side, and kneeled awkwardly once he’d recovered. Luke was shaking. Alarmed, Vader raised a hand, intending to grasp his son’s chin and inspect his head and face to ensure that he had not suffered force-delirium, or some unforeseen side effect of his earlier injuries. But when Luke looked up, Vader realized: _he is **laughing**_.

Yes, Luke, eyes wide and sparkling, face dirt-streaked, beaded in sweat, bloody, was laughing.

“Father!” he exclaimed, sounding joyful, almost deliriously so, “Father, I—”

Vader reached forward and pulled Luke to his chest, mindful of the strength of his arms’ grip. “You did well, Luke.” _Thank you, my son. You saved me. Even if I do not deserve it_. “I am proud of you.”

Luke awkwardly looked up, and as he did, the Sith Lord loosened his grip. His son’s eyes were bright. Happy. He smiled up at Vader. “Anytime, Father. I’ll always catch you.” _I love you_ , Luke— his beautiful, bright, talented boy— sent across their force bond.

Anakin’s arms carefully tightened around his child once more. _And I you, Luke. And I you_.

**Author's Note:**

> Title adapted from the Robert Frost poem, "Fire and Ice." Read the full version [here](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44263/fire-and-ice). 
> 
> Loosely inspired by that one scene in S1 of _The Mandalorian_ with IG-11. You know the one ¬‿¬. 
> 
> While I enjoy reading _Star Wars_ fics, I don’t often **write** them, so hopefully this wasn’t too OOC.


End file.
